Watchcase and replaceable strap therefor



June 15, 1948. EP A Y 2,443,477

WATCHCASE AND REPLACEABLE STRAP THEREFOR Filed Nov. 1, 1946 v INVENTOR Mk1. PLEPLA ATTORNEYS Patented June 15, 1948 WATCHCASE AND REPLACEABLE STRAP THEREFOR Karl Plepla, New York, N. Y.

Application November 1, 1946, Serial No. 707,068

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates generally to straps, and in particular it relates to straps for wrist watches and the like, and it also relates to the construction of the watch cases themselves.

Straps for wrist watches, particularly the thin cord straps affected by ladies, wear out rather quickly except when made of metals or heavy leather. Their replacement' is always a problem, requiring the services of a repairman, particularly :due to the necessity of threading the cords through small loops on the ends of the watch cases. Further, the same strap must be worn at all times, even when the color thereof does not harmonize with the wearers clothing. It is highly desirable, therefore, to have a watch so constructed that difierent straps may easily and quickly be threaded thereon, and straps changed at will. The main object of my invention, therefore, is the provision of a wrist watch case and strap therefor which may be readily and easily taken off and replaced and firmly held in position on the case after replacement.

There is available at the present time a thick 2 heavy woven cord eminently suitable for use as a strap for wrist watches, and particularly ladies wrist watches. This cord may be obtained in different colors.

When it is desired to use this thick, heavy woven cord material for wrist watch strapping, it is necessary to form large loops at the ends of the watch case, which loops are bulky and unsightly. Complicated latch means have been formed in the past on wrist Watch cases to accommodate the loops of this thick and heavy cord. All of these expedients have proven not particularly desirable or successful, because it is difilcult to thread the cord material through the watch case loops and then fasten the ends thereof to form the strap sections, or because the working of the latch mechanism is ofttimes difiicult for the ordinary user. It is, therefore, an associated main object of this invention to provide means on a wrist watch case which permit the use of a heavy woven strap cord material without the necessity for threading same through case loops.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an open-mouthed loop on a wrist watch, the loop being defined by a curved arm reaching out from an end of the watch terminating in fingers having rounded terminals.

Other and further objects of my invention will in part be apparent and still others will be specifically pointed out herein in connection with the 2 following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof.

In the drawings annexed hereto and forming a part hereof Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of device constructed according to and. embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44, of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the watch case may be of any conventional size and shape, as indicated by reference numeral II). The case may be used for other purposes, and the securing strap need not necessarily go around the wrist. On each end of the case I0, I provide a cord-strap loop retaining means l2, [2, each of which comprises an arm I 4 secured to case ID at each end thereof curving around, downwardly and inwardly towards the case, the end being bifurcated to define a pair of spaced fingers l6, l6, short of and spaced from the end wall of case 10 a distance slightly less than the normal diameter of cord-strap 20. The tips of fingers l 6, l6 are provided with ball portions l8, I8.

Cord-strap 20 may be formed of woven textile material, but any material which will be reduced in thickness when placed under extension may equally well be used with my loop retaining means. Cord 20 is, as above recited, of woven material and in normal position (see Fig. 2) is slightly thicker than the distance between the ball fingers [8, I8 and the end of the case to which the hooks l2, l2 are secured.

'When it is desired to take strap 20 off, the loop end 22 thereof is placed under extension, reducing its diameter or thickness, and permitting it to pass through the space between balls l8, l8 and the end of the case onto hooks l2, l2. On replacement of the strap, the loop 22 may be forced down between the end of the case and balls [8, l8, the loose nature of the strap weave permitting, or, preferably, the loop 22 may be stretched and so thinned as to permit its rethreading on the hook [2.

The ends of the strap sections remote from case I0 may be provided with conventional cooperating securin means. While the hooks l2, I2 have been shown as opening towards the bottom of the case l0, they may, within the scope of the invention, open upwardly.

Having described my invention, what I claim and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A case, a thick, compressible, looped-end, cordtype strap therefor, and means at opposite ends of the case to engage the looped ends of the cord, REFERENCES CITED the means comprising a hook curving outwardly from each end of the case, downwardly and ing t figg ga gs are of record m the wardly towards the case and terminating short of the case a distance less than the normal (11- 5 RE N PATENTS ameter of the cord, the cord being compressible Number Country Date to permit it to ride past the hook without damage, 479,325 Great Britain 3 9'1 the terminal end of each hook being bifurcated 508,421 Germany g ivigb and defining a pair of fingers each having a 203,481 Switzerland Jung 1939 round, balled, and enlarged head at the extremity 10 thereof.

KARL PLEPLA. 

